Official Report: search what was said in Parliament
The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
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Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]
Portfolio Question Time
Meeting date: 13 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
In 2009, Glasgow City Council identified Robroyston as a community growth area and approved massive family-oriented housing developments, under the condition that extended primary and secondary school capacity would follow. That was to be funded through the community growth fund.
Young families have moved in under the impression that that extra capacity would follow, but we are now at the end of 2025 and there is still no new school provision, with Smithycroft secondary school now being at full capacity and the plan to install modular accommodation being wholly unsuitable. I have spoken to dozens of parents who are now looking to move elsewhere.
Robroyston is right at the limit of the catchment area, and the walking route that Glasgow City Council suggests children take from Robroyston to Smithycroft is through an unlit graveyard, which is clearly an unsafe route. Will the minister join me and families from Robroyston to walk the route to Smithycroft secondary school to see the conditions and hear the families’ concerns for herself?
Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]
Portfolio Question Time
Meeting date: 13 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding reports of a lack of sufficient local school provision in Robroyston. (S6O-05153)
Meeting of the Parliament
Protecting Scotland’s Rivers
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
I certainly agree that the river has improved substantially. We now see much more wildlife, particularly on the upper Clyde, than one would have done half a century ago, given how poisoned it was with the effects of a century of heavy industry.
The petitioners I referred to in my speech were seeking for the role of the Clyde mission partnership board to evolve, purely to consider economic development projects around the city region and the wider issue of the integration of environmental protection. Perhaps the cabinet secretary could consider that opportunity with the city region.
Meeting of the Parliament
Strengthening Committees’ Effectiveness
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
That is an interesting point. The convention in the House of Commons is that the Speaker’s seat is not contested at elections so they have the privilege of being able to carry over to the next session without much fuss. Here, it tends to be that the Presiding Officer retires from the role at the end of the session.
Meeting of the Parliament
Strengthening Committees’ Effectiveness
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
That is a fair point. Reflecting back, that would have been useful because, as new members, we were flying blind. We were rabbits in headlights. To have had a hustings of some kind would have been a useful exercise to understand more about the individuals involved and the process. Perhaps it might have produced a different outcome. Nonetheless, it is an important point.
I have considered the issue in the round and have worked with colleagues—most notably Declan McLean, an academic at Cardiff University—on constitutional reforms. I know that Mr Kerr has worked with James Bundy and other people outside the Parliament to look at opportunities for improvement. They all have really good ideas. One academic review on changes to the United Kingdom Parliament’s committee system referred to an MP who said:
“Elected chairs made all the difference. They’re elected by the House, so they can’t be too partisan or cliquey.”
That is important. By directly electing conveners, parliamentarians could seek to build a reputation for themselves, enhancing the committees’ status.
Lots of other points have been made. The member for Stirling, Evelyn Tweed, made the important point that it is not just the Government that is being held to account but the agencies that are created by the Parliament. Too often, there is perfunctory engagement—maybe one evidence session, without much scrutiny. We need to look at that in the case of the Scottish Housing Regulator.
Meeting of the Parliament
Strengthening Committees’ Effectiveness
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
Will the member give way?
Meeting of the Parliament
Strengthening Committees’ Effectiveness
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
Will the member take an intervention?
Meeting of the Parliament
Portfolio Question Time
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that housing supply in Glasgow will keep up with the predicted 10 per cent rise in population by 2032. (S6O-05116)
Meeting of the Parliament
Portfolio Question Time
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
Glasgow declared a housing emergency and has been in that emergency since 2023. Unfortunately, the Government’s decision in 2024-25 to cut funding for the affordable housing supply programme by a quarter has had a significant effect on the pipeline of housing in the city.
Today, Glasgow City Council has approved a five-year plan for the construction of almost 6,400 new affordable homes, 75 per cent of which will be for social rent. It has also identified an additional series of sites that will allow for a further 4,648 homes to be developed. At a stretch, the cost of that will be £1.6 billion in capital investment, but the core plan will cost about £890 million. Will the cabinet secretary confirm that she will support that baseline plan and do what she can to push further towards the stretch target of £1.6 billion of funding to get those additional homes? As a baseline, we need 11,559 homes to be built in Glasgow.
Meeting of the Parliament
Strengthening Committees’ Effectiveness
Meeting date: 6 November 2025
Paul Sweeney
Will the member give way?
